The article below highlights the second Canadian Jehovah’s Witness Elder that has been convicted of molesting children. It is interesting to note that the JW Branch Office in Canada has made public statements that child abuse is not covered up. In 1988 a letter was written to all Elders in Canada stating that any hint of abuse must be reported.

Yet in the CBC program the “Fifth Estate” it was pointed out by a Branch Office member that answered the telephones, when abuse was reported to the Home Office, it routinely was not reported.

Read the following transcript of the program in which he remained unidentified,

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MCKEOWN: He asked us not to show his face because of the possible impact on Jehovah's Witnesses in his family. But he spoke with us because of what he saw when he worked here, the church's Canadian headquarters.

They call it Bethel , the House of God; a sprawling 65 acre complex in Georgetown , Ontario , outside Toronto .

For three years, in the early 90s, he worked in its legal department. Typing, filing, answering the phone. Sometimes taking calls from elders reporting child abuse allegations.

So these are elders of the church who have learned of a possible case of sex abuse and their first phone call is to...

UNIDENTIFIED: To the legal department at Bethel .

MCKEOWN: Headquarters.

UNIDENTIFIED: That's correct.

MCKEOWN: They wouldn't call the local child welfare authorities, they wouldn't call the police?

UNIDENTIFIED: No. They are told in letters to the bodies of elders that before doing anything, contact the legal department at Bethel .

MCKEOWN: Though child protection laws do vary somewhat from province to province, everywhere in Canada , the law is clear. If there are reasonable grounds to suspect child abuse, everyone, including clergy, must report it to child welfare authorities.

But this man says it doesn't always work that way.

Are you aware of a case or cases where someone phoned in with an allegation of sex abuse and that person was told do not report it?

UNIDENTIFIED: Yes. There were several which I became aware of while I was in legal that people were told... elders were told do not report because you do not have a basis for it.

MCKEOWN: You were getting these calls. You were asking the questions. Did it ever occur to you to pick up the phone and call the child welfare authorities or the police?

UNIDENTIFIED: It really wouldn't enter the mind of anyone serving at Bethel to do that, because that would be going completely against God's organization. It would be an act of rebellion it would be an act of independent thought, all things which are discouraged by the Jehovah's Witnesses.

MCKEOWN: But back at church headquarters in Georgetown, Ontario, the Jehovah's Witnesses insist they always follow the letter of the law. In fact, as far as back in 1988, elders were instructed in writing to comply with reporting requirements.

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As the reader can see the letter that was written to all “Body of Elders” in Canada was nothing more than a legal ploy to protect themselves from lawsuits. Yet on the other

hand, privately JW officials routinely thumbed their noses at authorities and advised elders not to report the sexual abuse of children within their organization. It is called “obstruction of justice” when a person or group impedes or prevent the prosecution of criminals. While Jehovah’s Witnesses state publicly and in their articles that they obey “Caesar’s law” as required by their doctrinal teachings, when it comes to the protection of a child they defer to protecting pedophiles. This is very good news to child molesters within the “Pedophile Paradise” created by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Pedophiles can feel secure to know that if they are accused not only will the elders not testify against them or assist in the prosecution, but the victim can be threatened with “expulsion” as a form of blackmail to protect the pedophiles’ right to access kids. This is clearly stated in the article below.

“In her ruling, Judge Linda Despots of the Criminal and Penal Chamber, notes that the victim had filed a complaint when she was 16 or 17 but she later withdrew the complaint "feeling herself to be under the pressure of the community and under the threat of being expelled" (from the Kingdom Hall).”

This week marks the second Elder in Canada that molested children over a long period of time with the matter not being reported. In the first newspaper article that reported Elder Martin, it was stated,

“The prosecutor criticized leaders of the congregation for being "completely uncooperative" with police during their investigation. Members of the girl's family have said they felt elders tried to sweep the matter under the carpet after they turned to them first before going to the police.”

There is no doubt that more reports will follow as JW officials remain resolute in their determination of a twisted application of the Bible to protect pedophiles and allow children to be raped. Children are victimized as Jehovah’s Witnesses proudly ignore the cries of their offspring while claiming their conduct proves they are the only true religion on earth.*

We can only ask that Jehovah’s Witnesses and the public to see the insanity of these polices and demand the prosecution of Jehovah’s Witness officials for obstructing justice. In addition, Jehovah’s Witnesses should be required to change their policy making it mandatory to immediatly with no "Legal Department" intervention, report all allegations of abuse to proper authorities.

Marcel Simonin, 66, was found guilty last Dec. 19 in Valleyfield corut of sexual aggression against a minor, between 1985 and 1992. When these activities started, his young girl victim was 11 years old.

The mother of the victim had first met the individual when he held the title of Elder at the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Chateauguay. He spoke during services, taught life precepts and spiritually supported members of the congregation.

After he succeeded in winning over the woman's trust and that of her daughter, the man later became addicted to intimate contact with the child, such contact ranging from simple touching to a complete sexual relationship.

During those eight years, the acts of aggressions occurred in several places, notably at his house, in his car, at the home of the girl and at the Chateauguay Kingdom Hall.

In her ruling, Judge Linda Despots of the Criminal and Penal Chamber, notes that the victim had filed a complaint when she was 16 or 17 but she later withdrew the complaint "feeling herself to be under the pressure of the community and under the threat of being expelled" (from the Kingdom Hall).

Another Elder in the Quebec City region where the mother and child had moved, convinced her to write a letter to authorities of the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses regarding what she had experienced with the defendant.

Following reception of this letter, Simonin telephoned his victim to apologize for these acts after recognizing their veracity. The complainant then apparently forgave him.

But when, in 2003, the young girl saw the accused at a Jehovah's Witnesses assembly at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, his presence revived her wounds and made her relive the memories accumulated during those years when she was a victim of touching. Afterwards the young girl went through several difficult years during which she tried to commit suicide on three occasions and underwent therapy treatments from a psychologist.

In 2005, in order to continue her therapeutic progress and free herself from the past, the girl once again decided to lodge an official complaint against the accused.

Believing that the credibility of the defendant - who had always denied being addicted to the acts of which he was accused - was tainted for several reasons, the court declared Simonin guilty of sexual aggression according to three articles of the Criminal Code.(Tr: D.R.)